"It was out of necessity," he say, laughing. "I knew I'd feel relieved once I got them out." So he did. At the end of April, the EP went live on Bandcamp and iTunes. The positive response bolstered Gonzales. With The Lights Just Went Out . . . finally out in the open, he's already looking forward to a follow-up, one he's sure will come easier. "I can't wait to record again," he says, citing a new single, "The Robin in the Birch Tree," that will be added to the EP when it sees physical release later this year.